The Verde Report: What’s Next for Austin FC as the Page Turns to 2024
Rebuilding begins after disappointing season
By Eric Goodman, Fri., Oct. 27, 2023
Ding-dong, the wicked Austin FC 2023 season is dead.
That's reason enough for Verde fans to celebrate this Halloween weekend, after Saturday's 1-1 draw against the San Jose Earthquakes officially brought ATXFC's dreadful year to a close. Now the club's attention shifts to an offseason that Sporting Director Rodolfo Borrell has repeatedly promised will bring significant change, even as polarizing head coach Josh Wolff is set to return.
In retaining and publicly backing Wolff, Borrell has made a clear statement that he believes Austin FC's main issue this past season was not poor coaching, but rather a broken roster. This columnist tends to agree. Outside of one star in Sebastián Driussi and a handful of solid pieces in Brad Stuver, Dani Pereira, Leo Väisänen, Jon Gallagher, and Owen Wolff, the club's payroll is an absolute mess. But what can Borrell and company realistically hope to accomplish in just one offseason, and where should they start?
Impending Free Agents
Plucky veteran winger Ethan Finlay is already no longer an ATXFC player after his contract with the club expired at the end of the regular season. As many as six other players – namely, Will Bruin, Hector Jimenez, Adam Lundqvist, Alex Ring, Memo Rodríguez, and Maxi Urruti – could join Finlay on the open market if the club elects to decline each of their 2024 options, freeing up as much as $3.7 million in salary.
That's exactly what Austin FC should do. Of the players in question, only Ring made significant contributions to the club's limited success in 2023, but not enough to justify another year at his $1.65 million Designated Player salary number. He's unlikely to command anything close to that on the open market entering his age-33 season. So even if Borrell views Ring as an important cog in the club's 2024 plans, it should be at a renegotiated, much lower figure.
Add a Third “Real” DP
Restructuring Ring's deal would have another benefit in that it would free up a Designated Player spot for Borrell to sink his teeth into. As things stand, though, that DP would be capped at the relatively limited $1.65 million wage because Austin FC also employs two U22 Initiative (young DP) players. Here's where Borrell will really earn his money.
To be frank, Austin FC has failed the U22 Initiative experiment. Zan Kolmanič, due in large part to injury, has yet to develop into a true difference-maker. Moussa Djitté, meanwhile, spent the entire season on loan in France and Turkey and does not appear to have a place in the Verde plans. If Borrell can find a way to offload both of those players from the ATX books, the club would be entitled to a third "true" DP spot with an unlimited salary figure to join the likes of Driussi and (the thus far very underwhelming) Emiliano Rigoni.
If Borrell has sights on bringing a big-name European star – the kind he spent the last three decades working with – to Austin, that's how it would have to happen.
Start the Youth Movement
On Sunday, Austin FC II defeated Columbus Crew 2 3-1 in the final of the 2023 MLS NEXT Pro Playoffs, winning the league in the team's first year of existence. It's a pretty remarkable achievement, and multiple players could be ready to make the jump to the senior team for 2024.
Austin FC should prioritize getting some of the "FCito" grads into the fold next year when appropriate. CJ Fodrey, Valentin Noël, and Sébastien Pineau are all deserving of a serious look.
